The capture of the six "Magdalo" officers may have derailed the plans of Army rebels seeking to destabilize the government but the military is not keeping its guard down.

More than 200 Scout Rangers formerly under sacked Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim are "being monitored" although no counter-force has been deployed around their base at Camp Tecson in Bulacan, Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino said yesterday.

"I see no need to send restraining forces because we have 'cleansed' the officers there [at Tecson]," the chief of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said "They are just being monitored," Tolentino said in Arayat town in Pampanga during tree planting activities organized by the Save Mt. Arayat Movement.

Tolentino also said that besides Lim-who is now restricted to his quarters in Fort Bonifacio-three colonels of the Army's 24th Infantry Battalion were being investigated in connection with the failed Feb. 24 coup plot.

"In the 7th Division, three company commanders of the 24th IB have been arrested and are being investigated," he said, adding he remembered one of them as being named "Reyes."

Tolentino said he was confident that the release of a video tape showing Lim withdrawing his support of President Macapagal-Arroyo would not rekindle the "misguided" sentiments of the officers and men of the First Scout Rangers Regiment (FSRR).

Tolentino said the FSRR's commander, Col. Reynaldo Mapagu, had talked to his men and told them they "would be on the losing end if they allowed themselves to be used in the conflicts by politicians."

"They are an enlightened lot now," Tolentino said.

'MANY STEPS AHEAD'

On Feb. 24, after the administration uncovered what it said was a plan by rebel soldiers to seize power, troops led by 7th Division chief Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan surrounded the Rangers' Camp Tecson and set up blockades in San Miguel town to prevent unauthorized movements by troops loyal to Lim. Tolentino himself mobilized two attack helicopters and several tanks from the Light Armor Brigade.

Tolentino said rebel soldiers could not now penetrate Nolcom because "we are many steps ahead."

BATASAN BLUEPRINT

On Friday, military and police intelligence rounded up six Army junior officers and two civilians in a pre-dawn raid in a rented house in Filinvest II subdivision, Quezon City.
Those arrested were Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza, 1Lt. Patricio Bumidang and Sonny Sarmiento, 2Lt. Angelbert Gay and Aldrin Baldonado, and Navy Lt. Kiram Sadava.

Also taken in were two civilians, lawyer Jose Christopher Belmonte and Michael Yangson.

Officials raised suspicions that the group was planning to bomb the Batasan Pambansa during President Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation Address on July 24, based on the large amount of explosives and blueprints of the Batasan complex found in the house.

TIGHTER BATASAN SECURITY

Speaker Jose de Venecia ordered more stringent security measures at the House complex.

"I have ordered a strengthening of all security measures in the Batasan complex in view of the President's State of the Nation Address on July 24 and the expected complication from the impeachment complaints filed against the President," De Venecia said.

House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said the recovery of explosives and the Batasan complex's blueprint from the Magdalo officers showed the "terrorist" tendencies of the military rebels.

HOUSE PROBE

"We have to find out who provided them with this blueprint," Nograles said.
He said the House leadership would initiate an investigation into the matter.
"This is a grim reminder to all of us that these people are very, very dangerous and do not deserve the smallest amount of public sympathy," Nograles said.